Genesis

Been here in NZ for 27 months. Just got back from a visit to the UK. Boy its more crowded than ever!!!! Roads are wall to wall traffic and spent ages in looooong traffic jams. Forgot how good Tescos et al are!!!! people were also lovely too. They kept saying how we'd done the right thing and that the UK's going to the dogs!!! There's so little space there..everything is so cramped. Its funny but it never felt like that before I came to NZ!!!! Houses are silly money and there are speed cameras everywhere. Didn't need any convincing that we had done the right thing but it sure makes you realise why people make the move!!!! Anyone been back and thought about returning? I don't think i could ever live in the Uk..unless 60 million people leave first!!!

Colin in the middle

Simple answer is nope have not been back in over 4 1/2 years have no intention to look back or go back. Took me 7 years to Migrate permanatly so no intention what so ever.
As much as New Zealand can piss me off lately there is no way I am turning my back on what I call home now.

FishermansFriend

English is now becoming a minority language in many UK town and city centres.

sasha 1

We live in the uk and want to get out , we are doing so much research and its a toss up between canada and new zealand . I like the sound of Napier but we dont know much about the weather they have there and work opportunies. My husband thinks there are nicer houses in Canada but I think Canada isnt as warm as New Zealand. Anyone able to help with info please. linda

sasha 1

Hi why did it take so long for you to Migrate was that from start to finish and what problems have you had there to piss you off. What area are you inNZ do you like it there. Any info would help thanks. Linda

Am Loolah

We've been in NZ only 4.5 months, but miss nothing about the UK ... maybe Asda, which when we were in the UK we hated?! Adopt the attitude "It's not the UK, it's different" as opposed to "this is wrong ... this was better in the UK" etc ...

littleal

My brother lives in Toronto and they have massive extremes of temperatures. Far too cold for me in the winter and regularly up to high 30s C in the summer.

Napier is a nice town and I get the impression that Hawkes Bay is good for weather.

Good Luck

Genesis

It was a choice betwixt Canada and NZ for us too. Very glad we came here. I too understand that whilst it is an apparently awesome, beautiful country the extremmes of weather as mentioned are..well extreme..a mate of mine did a swap year as a teacher and he talked of minus 30 degrees for a looooong winter. Sure houses probably are nicer but I guess they will be more expensive too. If you are bringing british equity by comparison to the Uk NZ houses are cheap..okay some are very poorly built but you have a choice over what you can buy!!! Napier has a great micro climate..one of the best in NZ..very beautiful too. Houses are expensive there as its considered a very classy place to live. Like everywhere in NZ it has its spikes of crime (I was our council's city safety officer and had to keep myself aware of crime issues around the country) but is none the less a very, very desirable place to live. Canada has the bonus of being close to the UK, on the other hand its imponderably big and thus you are unlikely to ever get very aquantited with it...NZ is a microcosom of wonder..small enough to see it all over a period of time then start all over as it was so much fun. At the end of the day only you know what is the right choice. NZ has met all our expectations and many more besides..and we live in Palmerston North. Noted for high winds, rain and boredom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The latter is most definitely wrong!!!!!!

Ash1

Hi Linda,


I believe that the weather in NZ is very different from the extremes in Canada. There are parts of NZ that have very mild winters and on sunny days its warm enough to wear shorts. The summer months are beautiful and not excessively hot , mainly high 20`s. Hawkes Bay is one of these areas and the fact that they produce wine is a sign of good weather. Napier is a lovely place. It has a really friendly feel to it. Inland about 10 km ( i think) is Havelock North which is really nice and we nearly settled there.
I have a good mate that lives in Canada and he is extremely happy there but then he always liked the colder weather. I have seen many pictures and Canada looks stunning, however nothing that NZ cant match.
Good luck
Ash

teambwr47

We're in Auckland area and when we arrived everyone local kept telling us how cold it was at the time to which i thought they were joking....

The winter here has seen us sat on the deck by the pool in t-shirts basking in the sun some days. Most days are well into the mid teens temp wise and its been up to 19c here some days. To me winter here feels more like a mid spring or autumn UK day. Theres a bit of a chill at night and first thing in the morning but by middle of most days its t-shirt weather.

Yes its changeable and we've had some wet and windy days but its much milder here than the UK winter. The summers i've been told can get a bit warm but its the hummidity thats the problem not the temp alone according to a few Kiwis we know.

The south island does have colder winters but compared to places like Canada the winter would be classed as tame.

Jude J

Welcome home Gen.
I've been back twice in 5 years and will probably go back some time next year. I love it there because my loved ones are there, but I love that thrill you get when its getting near time to come back to NZ, and thinking...its my home!!

BEVS

We've been back to the UK during the three years we've been in NZ & hope to return again soon.

Just like JudeJ , we go back because we have much loved family members who will never be able to come here. My dear ole Dad for one

It is more crowded with more traffic but we enjoy ourselves meeting up with all our friends and visiting old haunts. I love my home town and county .

HaHa . That was me. Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda , you name it , I wouldn't step foot over the doors. Used to have my groceries delivered.
Now what happens ! Jump off the plane and head straight into the bright lights of Tescos & Marks 'n Spencers.

bourbon-biscuit

Hawkes Bay has a fabulous climate. Napier is attractive and quite vibrant with some beautiful housing etc.

Squidge

We went back for a holiday in May and THOROUGHLY enjoyed it, although we were in the South West, BEST AREA. We are returning next year for good and it can't come fast enough.

NZ lovely country to visit but not for me to live in, although woudn't change the last 2 years it's been a great learning curve and I think everyone has to decide for themselves whats best for them.

I came to this site when we first decided to move and tried to find heaps of advice but the only way to learn is to try it for yourself.

lisaH

Hi

I have just returned from my holiday in Auckland had a fab time, made me and my husband even more determined to move to NZ on a permanent basis. As the UK seems to have nothing to offer, and in a couple of years we hope to start a family and NZ appears to have a safer, child friendly environment than the UK.

I would be extremely grateful if someone could give me any ideas of nice areas to live in the Auckland region, we quite liked Botany, but any other opinions of nice areas would be gratefully appreciated

Thanks!!!